Name
Ernest Alfred Edwin Berrett
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/09/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
14122
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
'C' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Church of St Nicholas Memorial, Norton
Pre War
Ernest Alfred Edwin Berrett was born in Forest Gate London in 1888 to Frederick Robert Berrett, traveller in wines & spirits, and Elizabeth (nee Smart).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Frederick A E (born 1882), Emma Victoria (born 1884), Benjamin Clyde (born 1887) and Ernest Alfred Edwin, were living at 13, Woodford Road, West Ham, London.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents (father now a house Agent), Frederick A E, Emma Victoria, Benjamin Clyde, Ernest Alfred Edwin and Reginald Stanley (born 1893) were living at 13, Woodford Road, West Ham, London.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents (father now a smalholder), Frederick A E (counting house clerk), with his wife Elizabeth Helen (born 1885) and their daughter Elizabeth Irene (born 1909), Emma Victoria, Benjamin Clyde, Ernest Alfred Edwin & Reginald S (both clerks), were living at Wilbury Road, Letchworth, Herts.
Wartime Service
No Service record was found for Ernest. He enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 14122 probably in late 1914 and was posted into 1st Battalion.
This Battalion had gone to France in Aug 1914 as part of the original British Expeditionary Force and taken part in the Battles of 1914 and early 1915. Ernest went to join them in the field on 12 May 1915. In Mar 1916 the Division moved to the Vimy area and took part in Trench Raids, sniping and other Trench work before moving to take part in the Battles of the Somme at High Wood (20-25 Jul) and Guillemont (3-6 Sep). In this last action Ernest was killed in action on 4 Sep 1916. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered in the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £9 10s and arrears of £16 1s 4d was paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Jonty Wild
